Georgia Fee.
“And I won’t be afraid
without you here cheering me on...
mon ami, je’taime
until we meet again I’ll be singing
Georgia, be my guide
teach me how to do the magic only you can do.
oh how you wore that lavender gown
and saw the heart of the world right through…”
- Adele Bertei, 2013
On the 8th of December 2012, the world lost a beauty. Georgia Fee was a friend of mine and I was fortunate for it. One of the rarest of people who never judged and only loved unconditionally, her loss resonates deeply throughout the communities she was of service to.
“And I won’t be afraid
without you here cheering me on...
mon ami, je’taime
until we meet again I’ll be singing
Georgia, be my guide
teach me how to do the magic only you can do.
oh how you wore that lavender gown
and saw the heart of the world right through…”
- Adele Bertei, 2013
On the 8th of December 2012, the world lost a beauty. Georgia Fee was a friend of mine and I was fortunate for it. One of the rarest of people who never judged and only loved unconditionally, her loss resonates deeply throughout the communities she was of service to.
When I met Georgia, she had been single for quite a long time. She was an artist teaching art to children in L.A.'s public school system until she lost her job during the eradication of arts programs in the California school system. As most of us with art in our blood, Georgia believed in magic and she let me in on her three big wishes. First came the desire to meet the love of her life. The second was her wish to live in Paris with that someone and the third, to create and live amongst artists – to always be in service to art's expression. She never once spoke of her wishes as impossibilities, like some dreamers often do. Her eyes shot off sparks as she gave them voice. I watched her take action. Her plan – to create an eloquent act of faith. An intention, and an opening to give, and then to receive.
Georgia journeyed to Europe with her dear friend Molly, initially in search of an appropriate outfit for her conjuring. She came upon a lavender gown in a flea market in Amsterdam, had it tailored in Brussels, and off they went to Paris. On her 50th birthday Georgia donned her gown and with a bouquet of daisies and Molly in tow, she traveled around the streets of Paris asking strangers to give her a kiss, documenting each kiss with a photograph. After all, it was her birthday. 50 kisses for 50 years of life.
In her fifty-first year Georgia found the love of her life, and the two made their home in Paris. Together, Catherine Ruggles and Georgia Fee co-founded ArtSlant.com, Georgia’s brainchild of a one-stop site where you could discover what was happening in every major art city around the globe. From their site: “ArtSlant was Georgia’s creation and her vision, and every facet of it reflects her deep love of art. Her passion and drive enabled ArtSlant to grow from a small art events calendar and online magazine in Los Angeles, to the worldwide network that we now know. Most of all, Georgia was an advocate for emerging artists, writers and galleries everywhere.”
Georgia died surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her, in peace, with a radiant heart. It is no surprise she chose the number of infinity for the day of her departure. Now when I think of her, I will always see this image of her wearing the lavender dress, balancing an 8 in her hand. Smiling, and inviting us to see.
Georgia journeyed to Europe with her dear friend Molly, initially in search of an appropriate outfit for her conjuring. She came upon a lavender gown in a flea market in Amsterdam, had it tailored in Brussels, and off they went to Paris. On her 50th birthday Georgia donned her gown and with a bouquet of daisies and Molly in tow, she traveled around the streets of Paris asking strangers to give her a kiss, documenting each kiss with a photograph. After all, it was her birthday. 50 kisses for 50 years of life.
In her fifty-first year Georgia found the love of her life, and the two made their home in Paris. Together, Catherine Ruggles and Georgia Fee co-founded ArtSlant.com, Georgia’s brainchild of a one-stop site where you could discover what was happening in every major art city around the globe. From their site: “ArtSlant was Georgia’s creation and her vision, and every facet of it reflects her deep love of art. Her passion and drive enabled ArtSlant to grow from a small art events calendar and online magazine in Los Angeles, to the worldwide network that we now know. Most of all, Georgia was an advocate for emerging artists, writers and galleries everywhere.”
Georgia died surrounded by the people she loved and who loved her, in peace, with a radiant heart. It is no surprise she chose the number of infinity for the day of her departure. Now when I think of her, I will always see this image of her wearing the lavender dress, balancing an 8 in her hand. Smiling, and inviting us to see.